Former Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson will wrap up his collegiate career at UCF.

KJ Jefferson Transfers To UCF

Jefferson posted his announcement to Instagram on Monday after entering the portal about three weeks prior. He is a 6-foot-3, 245-pound quarterback with one year of eligibility remaining. The fifth-year senior is coming off a down year in 2023, where he threw for 2,107 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He contributed another 447 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. But Jefferson showed the potential to be great in 2021 and 2022, and could have his best season yet in Gus Malzhan’s offense as UCF enters their second year in the Big 12.

In 2021, KJ threw 21 touchdowns with just four interceptions and had another six rushing touchdowns. He threw for 2,676 yards and ran for 664 more, carrying Arkansas to a surprising nine-win season.

In 2022, the Razorbacks may have regressed as a team, but Jefferson put together the best season of his career. He threw for 2636 yards and 24 touchdowns with just five interceptions. He ran for another 640 yards and nine touchdowns.

Gus Malzahn Gets His QB

Gus Malzahn is no stranger to having dual-threat QBs like KJ Jefferson. He previously coached dynamic players like Cam Newton and Bo Nix during his time at Auburn, and has been using another mobile quarterback during his first two seasons at UCF. Jefferson will look to replace senior quarterback John Rhys Plumlee, who struggled as a passer in both seasons with the Knights but accumulated some solid numbers. Plumlee finished his UCF career with 5,838 passing yards and 1,367 rushing yards in just 23 games. But UCF finished 6-7 in the Big 12 this season after losing to Georgia Tech in the Gasparilla Bowl. 2024 will be a chance for both Jefferson and UCF to rebound.

Teams Who Missed Out On KJ Jefferson

Although UCF was one of the top landing spots for KJ Jefferson, the move to transfer there was unexpected in my opinion. I thought he would remain in the SEC for his final season, but with the Golden Knights now in the Power 5 with a former SEC coach at the helm, the decision makes plenty of sense for Jefferson. Let’s take a look at a few teams who missed out on the dual-threat signal-caller.

Miami

Miami has been casting a very wide net as their search continues for a transfer quarterback. The Hurricanes were heavily linked to former Washington State QB Cam Ward, but he decided to enter the NFL Draft instead. The Canes made a quick pivot to KJ Jefferson, but were too late. Former USC quarterback Malachi Nelson now becomes Miami’s top target.

South Carolina

The Gamecocks were considered another “frontrunner” for KJ Jefferson when he entered the portal, but will now have to look elsewhere. As Shane Beamer continues his search for a new signal-caller, former Auburn quarterback Robby Ashford has emerged as a top option along with Malachi Nelson.

Auburn

Many have speculated Auburn would acquire a transfer quarterback following the departure of Robby Ashford, but it looks like Hugh Freeze may hand the keys to senior quarterback Payton Thorne.

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